9 best cleansing balms to remove make-up and nourish skin

If you’re looking for a cleansing balm that has none of the hallmarks of typical skin irritants, such as fragrance, this could be the one for you. That doesn’t mean you have to compromise on the sensorial experience, however – this balm is buttery soft and doesn’t require much massaging before it melts into an oil before being wiped away swiftly with a towel. Despite its lovely, lightweight texture, it’s very effective at disrupting even the most matte lipsticks we used during testing. Suitable for all skin types and concerns, it’s one of the speediest ways to cleanse skin before bed.

It’s not often an affordable cleanser comes along to rival some of its (much) more expensive counterparts, but that’s exactly what this Elf one does. It initially feels oily on the skin but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it helps create slip, making it easier to thoroughly dissolve make-up. Formulated with a triple threat of nourishing ingredients – hyaluronic acid, ceramides and peptides – it won’t dry out skin, and instead will leave it feeling properly cleansed and supple. It really does act like a cleanser that should cost double, even triple, its price tag.

This cleanser starts life as a solid balm, then transforms into a silky soft oil before turning into a milky lather. It works almost instantly to break down make-up and any impurities that have collected on your face during the day, and it didn’t sting our eyes when we used it to melt away eyeshadow and mascara. Skin felt hydrated and nourished after using it, and we liked the addition of papaya extract, which works to gently retexture skin and leave it with a healthy-looking glow. We loved the smell, too – although, lime, bergamot and orange essential oils are usually reserved for products used in the morning, we enjoyed the scent in the evenings, too.

Rooted in Chinese medicine, Muihood is a newer beauty brand on the block, but one that’s well worth your time. Founder Charlotte Yau has brought a holistic health and wellness approach to high-performing skincare products, and if you only try one thing from the brand, make it this balm.

Housed in a beautiful vibrant orange glass pot, this product is every bit as luxurious and rich as you would expect, created with a blend of soybean oil, goji berry and ginseng, to melt down make-up in seconds. Once applied to dry skin, add a splash of water to watch it transform into a milky emulsion that can be wiped away with ease. It instantly leaves skin refreshed, silky smooth and supple.

This formula is the work of Reome’s founder, Joanna Ellner. As a former beauty journalist and classically trained, board-certified acupuncturist, she has poured her decades of skin expertise into a small but elegant line-up of products, including this cleanser and an ‘active recovery broth’ serum.

This product has an interesting creme-balm texture that’s lighter and more fluid than any other cleaning balm we’ve tried, which is why it’s packaged in a tube as opposed to a typical pot. This makes it easy to travel with, and saw it sitting pretty on our bathroom shelf. The formula itself is rich but gentle and very effective at removing make-up. We also used it first thing in the morning – if you prefer a cream cleanser to a rich oil-based balm, this ticks every box. After every use, our skin felt soothed and refreshed – the perfect tonic after a long day.

This is an underrated gem if you’re shopping on a budget. Part of Superdrug’s own-brand skincare line named B., for less than a tenner, you can pick up this simple, fuss-free cleansing balm that gets the job done. Perfect for dry skin, thanks to a shea butter base, it’s a solid white balm that melts down into a clear oil to shift even the most stubborn of mascaras and lipsticks. Despite a basic formula, it has never irritated our hormonal acne or rosacea, general sensitivity or stung our eyes. Cheap, cheerful and minimal, it’s fantastic value for money.

The best way to describe this cleansing balm is a spa in a jar. Wildsmith Skin is inspired by plants and botanicals that grow at the Heckfield estate in Hampshire, originally planted by horticulturist William Walker Wildsmith. The brand’s skincare line, using homegrown ingredients, is made in small batches and feels premium.

With a botanical blend of butters, waxes and oils such as rosehip, meadowfoam, argan and sweet almond, this balm cleanser smells every bit as luxurious as it feels. Formulated to target dryness, uneven skin texture and dehydration, it quickly dissolves every scrap of make-up, dirt and SPF. Our complexion was left glowy and brighter after every use.

This is one of the best mid-priced cleansing balms we’ve tried. A solid balm that quickly melts into a cleansing oil, it cleanses without stripping or leaving skin feeling dry. It doesn’t leave your eyes stinging or blurred like some balms can, and even comes with a little scoop in a compartment beneath the lid. While the brand’s sun cream has become a cult favourite among Korean skincare fans, this balm is well worth a spot in your routine, too. There’s no greasy residue left behind after rinsing it off, and it’s fragrance-free.

Instantly recognisable, thanks to its yellow tub, this balm is enriched with rose and mimosa wax, elderberry, omega, starflower oil and a host of essential oils. It boasts a fragrant aroma that adds to its luxurious appeal, and its buttery texture melts instantly into an oil on contact with dry skin.

Thanks to its thick consistency, a little goes a long way, and a 20p-size blob is plenty to cover your face and neck and break down every speck of make-up. After fully removing the product with a damp flannel, our skin felt soft and smooth, with a subtle glow that you often find after having a facial. From start to finish, the experience is a luxurious treat.

It can be difficult to justify spending almost £50 on a product that will, quite literally, be washed down the drain, but we loved this formula’s performance. It does a stellar job at removing every scrap of make-up in seconds, and the lovely texture is thick but not sticky, soft but not greasy, and skin feels refreshed immediately – in short, we think you’ll get your money's worth.